magnetosphere

noun

mag·ne·to·sphere | \ mag-ˈnē-tə-ˌsfir

, -ˈne-\

Definition of magnetosphere

: a region of space surrounding a celestial object (such as a planet or star) that is dominated by the object's magnetic field so that charged particles are trapped in it

Other Words from magnetosphere Example Sentences Learn More about magnetosphere

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of magnetosphere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Solar proton events occur when a shift in the Sun’s magnetic field releases sudden blasts of energetic solar particles that engulf Earth’s magnetosphere. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "Evidence of a Monstrous, Ancient Solar Storm Found Hidden in Greenland's Ice," 14 Mar. 2019 Earth’s magnetic field, also called the magnetosphere, is generated by currents of molten iron in the planet’s interior and extends outward from the poles in great bulging arcs. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "When the Sun’s Magnetic Field Squashes the Earth’s Magnetic Field, Beautiful Things Happen," 14 Feb. 2019 During its career, the spacecraft was the first to map the entire magnetosphere, which is the area influenced by Earth's magnetic field. — Meghan Bartels, Space.com, "Long-Lost Spacecraft That NASA Rediscovered This Year Is Incommunicado," 30 Aug. 2018 Above the ionosphere is the Earth’s magnetosphere, an area that marks the border of Earth’s magnetic field. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "A Group of Scientists Want to Launch a Satellite to Make an Artificial Aurora," 29 Oct. 2018 In related research, Juno has also been studying Jupiter's magnetosphere, which is the region where the magnetic field is strong enough to dominate particles from solar winds and shield the planet. — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "The Juno Spacecraft Reveals New Mysteries at Jupiter," 25 May 2017 The magnetosphere plays a crucial role in protecting Earth from solar radiation. — Meghan Bartels, Space.com, "Long-Lost Spacecraft That NASA Rediscovered This Year Is Incommunicado," 30 Aug. 2018 But scientists recently learned that collisions between particles of the solar wind and stray particles of Earth's atmosphere produce low energy x-rays that light up the magnetosphere. — Dennis Normile, Science | AAAS, "New China space missions will watch for colliding black holes, solar blasts," 11 July 2018 Saturn has a magnetosphere that cocoons Enceladus, unlike our own moon. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Saturn and Its Moon Enceladus Talk To Each Other. The Sound Is Perfectly Cosmic and Eerie.," 10 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magnetosphere.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for magnetosphere

magneto- + -sphere

Note: Term introduced by the Austrian-born physicist Thomas Gold (1920-2004) in "Motions in the Magnetosphere of the Earth," Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 64, no. 9 (September, 1959), pp. 1219-24.

Keep scrolling for more